Abortion images stirs up students on Centennial Mall

Among the displays of abortion and prenatal images were shouts from opposing groups and tears from passersby during Created Equal’s Oct. 27 display on Centennial Mall.

The pro-life group hoped to discuss the topic of abortion with community members. The goal of their presence was to educate people about the effects of abortion.

Created Equal argues that abortion is age discrimination. Their website says their goal is to “restore the true meaning of equality to include equal protection between the born and the preborn.”

Members of the University of Toledo Feminist Alliance were also present at the display to “counter-protest”, according to Taylor Burtch, a fourth-year women and gender studies major and UTFA member, who organized the meeting.

“I honestly think it is altering my ability to function on campus today and I think I am not the only one,” Burtch said. “I’ve seen a lot of people walk by incredibly disgusted and even the people who identify as anti-choice in my class said that this was outrageous and disgusting.”

Ryan Nethers, a second-year nursing major, said he didn’t think the display was as distracting to students as others were making it out to be.

“I could only see this affecting people who are especially sensitive to this or have had to go through this,” Nethers said. “Then it could really affect them and their mindset in classes.”

Some students shouted their disagreement. The anti-abortion group returned heated debate but notably did not shout back their replies.

The director of outreach for Created Equal, Joshua Bertsch, said the group welcomed others’ opinions and that the group accepts everyone’s freedom of expression.

“We are firm believers of free speech,” Bertsch said. “I saw some people out here with ‘Keep abortion legal’ signs — we think that’s great, we’re not in any way opposed to that.”

Audrey Remusat, a graduate student in social work with a certificate in women and gender studies and a member of UTFA, said she was against the methods Created Equal was using because they were “fear tactics” which could take away a choice which should only be in the hands of pregnant women.

“They want people to suffer the consequences of what this looks like,” Remussat said. “They want to hinder their choice, they are taking the choice away from them.”

Burtch also said she thought the images should not have been on campus and referred to them as “disgusting”. She went on to say it was a disappointment that students could not focus on their education due to the images being on campus.

Nethers said though the pictures were a bit gruesome, they have not changed his true opinion on the matter.

“I had my beliefs about it before and it hasn’t really changed anything,” Nethers said. “I believe they should only have abortions for medical or criminal reasons, like if it affects the mother or the child or if it’s because of rape or sexual violence.”

Bertsch said, as Created Equal visits campuses, they hope to influence student opinions on abortion while also hearing the opinions of those who oppose their standpoint and discussing the topic further.

“I’m here to talk to people whether they agree or disagree with me,” Bertsch said. “It’s encouraging to see people who take their standpoint seriously enough to act on them. We’re on the same campus, so by all means we would like to talk with them and discuss with them.”

While Burtch stood for the pro-choice option, she said her group’s counter-protest was also there to offer support for those who have been through an abortion.

“There wasn’t really a goal with interacting with [Created Equal] or not,” Burtch said. “I think it was more so there were people … here to say if you have had an abortion or you are pro-choice that … it is safe and OK for you to be walking through this area of campus today.”